Puzzle.



C. A. TRULL.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-26,1916.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

(Emma/L ce T20 LL LFHRENCEH- UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE,

CLARENCE A. TRUIIL, or Waco,- TEXAS.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patente d Nov. 28, 191

. Application filed February 26, 1916. Serial 110, 86,693.

It is another and more. particular object of the invention to provide apuzzle consistinggprimarily in the provision of a. suitable base havinga. pluralityof channels or grooves cut in its surface extending invarious angular directions and differently colored With'respect to eachother, and a plurality of movable members corresponding to each of thecolored channels and movable therein, whereby, by proper manipula .tion,the members of one color may be assembled, in a groove or channel of thesaine color. 1

With the above and other ob ects in view,

my invention consists'in the novel features of. construction,combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fullydescribed,'claimed and illustrated in the 'a'ccompanying drawing. inwhich,

' Figure l is a plan view of my puzzle; and Fig. 2 is a transversesection taken on the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5-

designates the base Section of a substantially rectangular body. Thisbase section has a plurality of channels or grooves indicated at 6, 7and 8 respectively, cut in its upper surface. T.hese channels haveconcave base 'walls, and these walls are differently colored, preferablyred, white and blue respectively.

A pair of balls 9 are provided for each groove and are coloredcorrespondingly thereto. These balls may roll freely in the grooves. andare permanently held therein by means of'a top section 10 of the basewhich is relatively thin and is fixed or. sc

cured in any suitable manner upon the surface of the body section 5. histo be observed that the balls are of substantially the same diameter asthe grooves in the base sectlon 5 so that one hall cannot pass anotherin said grooves. The top section 10,

is also provided with slots, indicated at 11, '12fand 13 respectively,which have a commoncommunicating point in like manner to the'channels 6,7 and-8, and coincide with a sufiicient distance above the upper surfaceof the base section 10 through the slots the lattei.,cliann el s.' Theballs9 project to therein to enable the-fingers to be readily engagedwith said balls.

It will be observed from reference to Fig 1, that the, slots andchannels define the letter Y, and each arm of the Y is sutliciently longto contain three of "theballs :9. In the operation of the'device,assumingthatballs of the same color are arranged in a groove of adifferent color as shown .in

Fig. "1, the would-be solver is required. to

place the colored balls in groovesof corresponding colors. In order todo this, it is the balls'in the grooves is-n'ecessary and considerablepatience is required before the balls will be arranged in the desiredmanner. 'The operation may be' reversed and manifest that considerablemanipulation-of the balls of the same color assembled in a groove of adifferent color which is quite as difficult as the operation firstreferred to. It is thus seen that, in an exceedingly simple device, Ihave produced a veryinteresting and amusing puzzle. 1

lVhile I have above referred to a preferred form of the-body for thepuzzle, it will be understood that the same may- .be

of any'preferred shape in plan,.and the length of the grooves and thenumber of balls increased if desired." The device is also susceptible ofother obvious modifications and it will, therefore, be understood that Ireserve the-privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as maybe-fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the inventionas'claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I desire to claim andsccure'by Letters Patent is -1. A puzzle consisting of a base having aplurality of grooves in its sur'fac'e'extending in different angulardirections and havinga common communicating point, the Walls ofeach'groove being colored differently from the Wallsv of the remaining.

grooves, and a plurality of movable elements for each groovecorresponding in color thereto. l 1

2. A puzzle consisting. of a base having a plurality of grooves in itssurface communicating at the samepointya plurality of ele-b' ments foreach groove movable therein, the

several grooves and certainof the elements having a commoncharacteristic whereby the same may be distinguished from the remainingelements and every other groove.

3. A puzzlerconsisting of a base having a plurality of grooves in itssurface extending in different ang ular directions and hav ing a, commoncommunicating point, the

, ivalls of each groove being dii'ferently'col- 'o'red from the valls ofthe other grooves, and a plurality of balls corresponding 1n color tothe respective grooves 'and'of such diameter as to be movable 1n thegrooves.

at. A puzzle consistingof a base having aplurality of grooves inits'surface extending in diii'erent' angulardirections and hav- .ing acommon communicating point, the

Walls of each groove being difi'erently colored from the walls of theother grooves, a plurality of balls of substantially the same diameteras the respective grooves and colored correspondingly thereto, and meansfor retaining the balls in the grooves {but per mitting of their freerolling nioveinent therein. 7 5. A;puzzle consisting of a base having aplurality ofgrooves 1n its surface extending in difierent angulardirections and having a common communicating point, the Walls of eachgroove belng differently colored from the walls of the remaininggrooves, a)

plurality of balls for each groove colored correspondingly thereto,.each groove being of such length as tocontain one ball in addition tothe number of balls which are of the same color as saiclgroove and means-secured upon the base to-retaiii the b'alls'in the grooves but permitof their free rolling movement, therein. V 1

In testimony whereof 1 hereunto aflin my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

